The present invention relates generally to an amusement device sharing system and, more particularly, relates to an amusement device shared resource system for sharing a shared resource device between a plurality of amusement devices. Amusement devices, such as game machines, which allow a user to select games from a video display are well known in the art such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,787 (Itkis); U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,717 (Houriet, Jr. et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,799 (Houriet, Jr. et al.), the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein, each of which shows a touchscreen display for making a game selection from a menu of games. Such game machines or amusement devices typically operate upon input of currency (i.e., coin, token, paper money, credit/debit cards and the like) and are installed in bars, restaurants, airports, shopping malls, video arcades and the like. The game choices may include card games, sports games, games of skill, games of chance, action games, trivia games and the like.
In some instances, such games are configured to be played either against another competitor or in a competition or tournament. In more advanced systems, the games machines are connected either peer to peer by a direct cable connection or on a hardwired network, such as a hardwired local area network (LAN), allowing a player at one game machine to play against a competitor at a different game machine or to participate in a competition or tournament that tracks players at a plurality of game machines and possibly at a plurality of locations.
Often, such game machine systems installed in one location or a location with multiple areas, floors or rooms requires that network cabling or other network communication systems, in addition to the power supply cabling, be run between game machines and/or to network hubs, routers, modems and/or gateways and the like.
What is needed but not presently provided by the prior art devices is an amusement device system capable of sharing a resource over a communication system.